1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to therapy units associated with a water tub, and more particularly, to a therapy unit designed to supply a stream of water or a flow of air bubbles into the water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Therapy units designed to supply a stream of water, such as in a whirlpool bath, or a flow of air bubbles to water in a tub are well known. Generally, hydrotherapy is very relaxing after a physically or mentally stressful day. Hydrotherapy is helpful in preventing muscles from tightening. Special tubs equipped with a built-in array of water or air bubble ports are often called Jacuzzi's after the name of an inventor of such a device. Jacuzzis are most often large consumers of space. In addition, they are usually quite expensive to purchase and install. Some people might consider becoming a member of a health club to avoid the costs of expensive equipment, but the membership in the health club may also be quite expensive. Moreover, having desired equipment in one's home is much more convenient than requiring a trip to a health club. In this respect, it would be desirable if a whirlpool bath and air bubble administering device were provided for a conventional bathtub to retrofit the bathtub to become a bathtub that contained an internal whirlpool water stream and a flow of air bubbles.
People often have more than one bathtub in a residence. In this respect, it would be desirable if a whirlpool bath and air bubble administering device were provided for a bathtub that could easily be removed from one bathtub and carried to another and set up in another bathtub. The other bathtub could be in one person's house, or the other bathtub could be in the house of a friend.
With Jacuzzis that are built in to a water tub, an array of water nozzles and air bubble nozzles are also built in. Often, because of the positioning of a person in the tub with respect to the nozzles, much of the water stream or the air bubbles completely miss the person in the tub and are, in a sense, wasted. In this respect, it would be desirable if a whirlpool bath and air bubble administering device were provided for a water tub wherein water and air bubble nozzles could be positioned by the user of the tub to obtain optimum use of the water stream and air bubbles.
In built in Jacuzzis, often a large number of water and air bubble nozzles are provided. To supply an adequate water and air flow to the large number of nozzles, a relatively large pump is necessary. Such a relatively large pump is expensive and consumes relatively large amounts of electrical power. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for a water tub that employed a relatively small and inexpensive pump that consumed relatively small amounts of electrical power for supplying adequate water and air bubble flow.
With built in Jacuzzis, water and air bubble nozzles are generally fixed into the wall of tub. There is a disadvantage in using fixed nozzles because a person may have a localized spot on the body upon which water or air bubble treatment is desired, but that is difficult to place near a built in nozzle. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for a water tub which included water and air bubble nozzles that could be moved around for positioning near a part of a body of a user where water and air bubbles can be applied directly.
Another problem associated with a built in array of water flow and air bubble nozzles is that individual nozzles are not individually controllable. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided in which individual nozzles had individual controls.
The following U.S. patents relating hydrotherapy units are known: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,587,976; 4,127,117; 4,458,676; 4,853,987; and 5,056,168. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,976 discloses a hydrotherapy unit that includes a suction cup for installing a nozzle in a tub. The nozzle projects quite far into the tub and takes up quite an amount of tub space. In this respect, it would be desirable if an add on hydrotherapy device were provided for a tub that can be added on to the tub but that does not take up a lot of tub space. Moreover, with this device, a bubble-adding venturi sticks out from the water nozzle and takes up quite a bit of tub space. In this respect, it would be desirable if a bubbling device for a hydrotherapy device were provided for a tub that can be added on to the tub without taking up a lot of tub space.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,117 discloses a portable hydrotherapy bath assembly that fits onto the side wall of a tub. An electric motor is located within the assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,168 discloses a whirlpool bath which includes individual jet units, installed in the tub under water, each of which has an electrically powered pump. With the first device, there is always the danger that the unit will fall into a water filled tub and cause electrocution. With the second device, there is the danger that a water-tight seal will break, and water will contact the immersed electric motor. In this respect, it would be desirable if a hydrotherapy device were provided which precluded a danger of electrocution by precluding the possibility of an electric motor falling into a water filled tub.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,676 discloses a portable spa massager that has an adaptor to connect to a fluid jet nozzle in the wall of the therapeutic spa. Hooking up the massager unit to the wall nozzle takes the nozzle out of use for its normal therapeutic purposes. In this respect, it would be desirable if a massager unit were provided for a hydrotherapy device that did not put any of the water nozzles out of use to accommodate the massager.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,987 discloses a hydrotherapy jet and pump assembly that has nozzles installed through walls of a tub. A disadvantage of this device is that holes must be made in the walls of the tub. Once the units are installed in the tub, they cannot easily be removed. In essence, they become a built in device. In this respect, it would be desirable if an add on hydrotherapy device were provided that did not require making holes in the wall of the tub.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use hydrotherapy units added on to bathtubs, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a bathtub add on hydrotherapy apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) retrofits the bathtub to become a bathtub that contains an internal whirlpool water stream and a flow of air bubbles; (2) can easily be removed from one bathtub and carried to another and set up in another bathtub; (3) wherein can be positioned by the user of the tub to obtain optimum use of the water stream and air bubbles; (4) provides a hydrotherapy unit that employs a relatively small and inexpensive pump that consumes relatively small amounts of electrical power for supplying adequate water and air bubble flow; (5) includes water and air bubble nozzles that can be moved around for positioning near a part of a body of a user where water and air bubbles can be applied directly; (6) provides individual nozzles which have individual controls; (7) can be added on to the tub but that does not take up a lot of tub space; (8) provides a bubbling device for a hydrotherapy unit for a tub that can be added on to the unit without taking up a lot of tub space; (9) precludes a danger of electrocution by precluding the possibility of an electric motor falling into a water filled tub; (10) does not put any of the water nozzles out of use to accommodate a massager; and (11) does not require making holes in the wall of the tub. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique bathtub add on hydrotherapy apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.